Fastener for box-covers.



F. D. VAN VALKENBURGH.

FASTENER FOR BOX COVERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1914.

Patented May 11, 1915.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS ca, PHOTO-LITHCL, WASHING TON. 0. c4

. cess 18 in the top of FRANCIS DWIGHT VAN VALKENBURGH, 0F BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI.

FASTENER FOR BOX-COVERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed April 16, 1914. Serial No. 832,302.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANCIS D. VAN VALKENBURGH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Biloxi, in the county of Harrison and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and Improved Fastener for Box-Covers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a novel fastener for box covers, and is designed more particularly for use in connection with shipping cases having reversible covers, and intended to be returned to the shipper.

The invention will be particularly explained in the specific description followmg.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the vlews.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shipping case embodying my invention, showing the same with the cover in position; Figs. 2 and 3 are separate perspective views of the cover and body respectively; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fastener element provided for the cover; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the closed case; and Fig. 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional elevation of the front portion of the body and cover.

My invention is applicable to any approved form of case. It is here shown as having a body 10 with partitions 11 dividing the body into compartments. A cover 12 is provided, and in the closed position of the cover a strap 13 may be employed, the strap extending through keepers 14 on opposite sides of the body.

The cover 12 is designed to bear the address of the consignee on one side and of the shipper on the other, for which purpose an address cardv 15 may be applied to each side and secured by any approved means, there being shown loops or keepers 16 adapted to receive the corners of the cards. On one end of the cover 12 a projecting lug 17 is provided and is adapted to be received in a rethe adj acent'end of the body, there being provided in the present instance, a keeper plate 19 over the recess 18, so that the lug 17 may be entered in the said recess beneath the said keeper to retain that end of the cover in position. The opposite end of the cover I prefer to provide with a sary to similar lug 20 receivable in a depression 18 in the adjacent end of the body, so that the cover will thus lie flush with the top of the body.

In order that the cover shall be self-fastening, and be securely held in either of its reversible positions, I provide a novel fastener comprising co-acting elements on the cover and body. comprises a shank 21, which is adapted to be passed downwardly through a vertical opening 22 in the cover adjacent to the lug 20. The shank is pendent from a top plate 23 adapted to rest on the top of the cover, and at the lower end, below the cover, the shank is provided with means to engage the coacting fastening means on the body. In the present example the shank is formed with an arrow head 21, presenting shoulders 25, and said head is adapted to be engaged by catch arms 26 on the body 10, at the interior. The arms 26 are resilient, and advantageously are formed integral with each other at the lower ends, as at 26 and secured by rivets 27 or other fastening elements to the lock case 28. The said lock case may have flanges 29 which receive any suitable fastening devices 30 to secure the lock case to the interior of the body 10. The resilient catch arms 26 are formed with beads 26 disposed toward each other and presenting overhanging shoulders 26 to engage the shoulders 25 on the head 24.

The fastener may be released by means of a key 31, the shank 32 of which is adapted to be passed inwardly through a hole 33 into the lock case 28, between the resilient arms 26 of the fastener. The said shank 32 is oval so that it may be entered between the arms 26, with its minor axis disposed transversely to the said arms, and then turned to bring its major axis transversely and force the arms 26 apart to release the head 24: of the cover-fastening element.

1V ith the described construction the one address card 15 bearing the address of the consignee will be uppermost when the case is shipped, and for the return of the case it is necessary only to reverse the cover. It will be obvious that the fastening. element of the cover will be freely removable from the cover when not engaged with the fastening-means on the body, it being only neceslift the top plate 23 to withdraw the shank 21 and fastener head 24: from the The element on the cover cover and permit the fastener to be re-inserted through the hole 22 when the cover shall have been reversed and the second address card 15 bearing the address of the owner brought uppermost. I

The described construction afl'ords a practical means of carrying my invention into effect, and I would state in conclusion that I do not limit myself strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A fastener for a shipping case, comprising a fastener element applicable to the body of the case and a coacting fastener element applicable to the cover of the case; said second mentioned element having a top plate adapted to removably rest on the top of the cover, and a depending shank on the said plate adjacent the front edge of the latter, the lower end of the said shank having an arrow head; said first fastener element having means to secure it to the body of the case and having resilient latching means to engage the arrow head of the first element.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS DWIGHT VAN VALKENBURGH.

Witnesses:

CHESTER E. RoUNDY, WM. B. VAN VALKENBURGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

